In large part, the subject of this thesis is
ignorance. How does what we don't know affect what
we think and do? To clarify this issue, I would
like to present a simple logical model of human
experience. The universe of the
model is experience. This universe is divided into
two parts -- that which is mapped and that which
is unmapped. By "mapped" I mean that the
experiencer has an "effective" response to that
realm of experience. An "effective" response is
one that solves the problem encountered in
experience. By "unmapped" I mean that he does not
have such a response.

As does
Plato in a similar argument (cf. Meno 1963:
382ff.), I will make a distinction between
behavior based on knowledge and behavior not based
on knowledge. However, unlike Plato, I will say
that effective and ineffective responses can
result from either knowledge or its absence.
One can "know" what one is doing and still
unwittingly create a mess (witness DDT and the
Aswan High Dam). Consequently, knowledge exists in
both the mapped and the unmapped territory.

Outside
knowledge in the mapped area of experience lies
effective action without "reasons" (e.g., customs,
superstitions, habits, etc.). Outside knowledge on
the unmapped side lies experience for which no
effective response is available and about which no
knowledge exists. It is this unmapped
area and particularly the unknown segment of the
unmapped area that is the concern of this thesis.
What happens when experience demands effective
response and effective response does not exist? I
will try to show that one obvious response to such
a situation is to attempt to solve the problem.
That is, in some fashion one must set to map the
unmapped experience. Then I will try to show that
one of the less obvious consequences that may
sometimes be connected with such experiences and
problem-solving efforts is schizophrenia. The
conditions that distinguish the "schizophrenic"
reaction from the "normal" reaction will also be
considered. A systems approach will
be used as the theoretical and methodological
"bias" of this investigation. To start, the
meaning (or lack of it) of the terms "culture" and
"schizophrenia" will be considered. This
discussion will be followed by a section in which
I will consider ignorance and the nature of the
human mind. After this I will examine ignorance
and the individual. In particular the discussion
will focus on the process or mechanism for solving
problems and its possible connection with
schizophrenia. The Thesis will conclude by
considering further research implications raised
by the argument.